Customer Reviews

Fix

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Saw this film at a screening, and it really is a ground's eye view of a Los Angeles we don't usually see, with some excellent performances. Annoying at times, but only because it's a window into a loved one's addiction and the behavior that goes with it. Shot docu-style, but with no irritating giggly camera. Cast is fabulous. There is some wonderful subtle(and one not so subtle) character driven humor, and a cast of supporting characters that add to the feeling that you're wandering through the environs of L.A.. Editing unique, music worth owning.

Fresh and exuberant. This is cutting-edge style and talent. The cool and collective energy of the folks behind the movie spools out onto every frame of FIX and supersedes anything that you will see at the movies. FIX takes you on a ride of Odyssean proportions. You will not want to miss this!

Very enjoyable indie shot guerilla style through the kaleidoscopic backdrop of Los Angeles; from the hills to Venice to Watts, with this style of filmmaking you feel as though you are part of the very compelling odyssey. The main characters are infectiously likable, and the many other characters experienced along the way are all fantastically memorable while being very real. I loved it, and felt inspired as a filmmaker.

Fix takes you over all the different sides of LA. From Venice all the way to east LA and to mansions in Beverly Hills all in one eventful day. The storyline, consisting of getting an addict into rehab, is superb because everyone can relate to it in a way. Tao does an excellent job filming from his camera. He displays an aptitude for the play of light and shade that transforms familiar setups into something fresh and original. This movie is definitely a MUST SEE

***1/2

In the low-budget drama "Fix," Milo - played by Tao Ruspoli, who also directed and co-wrote the film with Jeremy C. Fels - and his girlfriend Bella (Olivia Wilde) are a couple of San Francisco-based filmmakers who are working on a documentary about the prison system in California. But before they can get to the task at hand, they have to drive to LA and get Milo's ne'er-do-well, drug-addict brother, Leo (Shawn Andrews), out of jail and into rehab by 8 in the evening or he'll be sentenced to three years in prison for violating his parole. They also have to find a way, by fair means or foul - mostly foul - of raising the $5,000 they'll need to enroll him in the program. Thus, the three of them race around the greater Los Angeles area, with the hopped-up, smooth-talking Leo finagling money out of some pretty shady and disreputable characters, though spending almost as much cash as he's taking in while doing so.

In a sense, Milo and Bella wind up making a documentary anyway - only on a subject different from the one they'd originally intended, one that arises from life as they're living it. We rarely get to see Milo's face on camera, since he spends most of the time filming the action (a la "The Blair Witch Project"). At this point, one either goes with this aggressive, you-are-there, pseudo-documentary style of fictional filmmaking or one doesn't. And, predictably perhaps, the approach, as employed in "Fix," is both dramatically effective and annoyingly distracting in roughly equal measure. The best part about the movie is its off-the-cuff glimpses into various milieus and locales in the LA area. The plot, which takes place over a 12-hour period, does have a spontaneous feel to it at times, though it also tends towards the redundant and attenuated. However, the final third of the film achieves a level of poignancy and artistry one wouldn't expect it to based solely on its earlier stretches.

Andrews brings a great deal of kinetic energy and roguish charm to the role of Leo, and Wilde is both poised and alluring as the attractive Bella. In fact, it is Bella's changing reactions to Leo and the world he inhabits that makes her the everyman character in the story who draws us more deeply into the venture than we would ever have gone without her. At first she is disdainful and casually dismissive of Leo; then, as she gets to know him better, her hostility turns to grudging admiration, then tantalizing approval, and, finally, a willingness to become at least partially complicit in his actions, making her in a sense the Bonnie Parker of the piece. The movie observes rather than judges Leo and the people he interacts with, while, at the same time, gently ribbing Milo - and, by extension, the actual filmmakers themselves - for his (and their) obsessive need to record every moment of existence rather than simply living life for its own sweet sake unencumbered by the camera.

Spike Lee has used his career to draft love letters to the different aspects of New York City, and Michael Mann has left us two gritty pictures of the non-glitzy Los Angeles in his crime sagas 'Heat' and 'Collateral'. The directors, and their cinematographers, show the filmgoing public the cities they love from a different angle, turning the sprawling metropolises into living, breathing characters with plenty of problems of their own. In Tao Ruspoli's 'Fix', the director casts LA as a redemption-seeking addict, searching for its next score -- be it getting clean, enough money to break even, or a drug fix.

I won't waste your time breaking down the plot, because watching it unravel, and seeing how the characters evolve and build off of one another, is very much a part of the film's magic. Shawn Andrews is captivating as Leo, a charismatic addict, that commands the attention from all those on screen. Even if the film wasn't shot in a mockumentary fashion, which forces the attention of the camera on Andrews, all eyes would be on his performance. He captures the nuances of drug addiction with eerie perfection, from the manic highs to the horrific, depressing lows. Olivia Wilde, who is arguably the most famous name in the cast, plays the role of the reluctant Bella, girlfriend/partner to Leo's brother Milo (Ruspoli, in a non-vanity role as videographer). She is allowed to engage in some wonderful banter with Andrews, able to deliver sarcasm with subtle bite, although you can see her character is somewhat enthralled by the morally-disturbed world she's found herself thrust into.

Ah, yes, the morally-disturbed world. Los Angeles is shown in all its aspects, from the gorgeous mansions of the hills to drug dens in the barrios. The socio-economic issues are made quite obvious in terms of juxtaposition, but if I had to ding Ruspoli on anything, it would have to be exposition of these issues. The cast drives past the South Central Farm on their way to Watts, and the dispute of the garden is briefly talked about. There is no resolution to the issue, and I saw no greater need for the moment other than the beautiful cinematography. Then again, I know very little about the South Central Farm debacle, not being a Los Angeles or Southern California native, and it may have some deeper meaning than I may know of. Otherwise, the story is fast-paced, the characters well-rounded, and the dialogue sharp.

One thing that may turn off some older viewers is the visual style of the film. It is hyper-kinetic when it needs to be, gorgeous color tones captured in various forms of exposure, the camera jumping about, the editing blade splicing quickly, framerate sped up. It comes from the MTV school of Oliver Stone's 'Natural Born Killers' and the first 'Crank' film, fast and fun without the dizzying, nauseating editing of a Paul Greengrass movie. But when it comes to plot exposition, Ruspoli lets the camera linger on his subjects. Obviously as a photographer, he knows how to play with light and composition -- it especially shows in a scene between Milo and Leo in a candlelit drug den.

'Fix' isn't a movie for everyone. It shows some of the darker aspects of human nature, and is quite explicit in its portrayal of drug addiction -- not as bad as some, but it's rather heartbreaking to see the effect it has on Leo and those that care about him. It is, however, a visual masterpiece, driven by strong performances and solid writing, and leaves you wanting more.

This film is amazing to watch, and it is absolutely beautiful. Director Tao Ruspoli turned the characters' wild, twisting roadtrip in search of redemption into a stunning view of Los Angeles' landscapes and cultures. The acting is great on all levels and the writing is fantastic; even the smallest characters are rich and lively. They really work their way into your heart, and make the film all the more touching. The film's look at addiction is perfect; it neither condones nor condemns, it only explores. Overall, Fix is truly enjoyable, and absolutely inspiring.

Not your typical movie, but still great none the less. It is definately worth it to watch it. It is a great and inspiring story, that allows you to feel like you are actually in the movie and one of the characters. Everyone involved in the movie did an amazing job and Tao did an amazing job directing as well!!!! The different camera angles offered a fresh and different look, and the story its self was great. An amazing movie, and really worth it!

That movie is one of the best i have ever seen.
it's funny and sad.
It's unusual and rare.
The shots are BEAUTIFUL.
The theme is really great. An emotional narrative story shot on a documentary way. (don't know if my sentence is correct, i don't speak english really well)
A road trip i now dream to take with the brilliant crew and cast that made this rough diamond.
I just can say that i LOVE it.
can't wait to receive the DVD and watch it over and over again.
Just watch it, buy it. Laugh and Dream.
Thank you for this movie.
MD

I love documentaries, and this film was shot in that style. I thought it was very well done. Good story, interesting characters, well acted. And it automatically gets points for being indie instead of a big budget studio film. I live in Utah, and even Sundance has become a showcase of big budget films with a lot of big name stars. Obviously Olivia is quite famous now, but this film maintains its integrity and spirit. I can't wait to see more from Tao and Olivia.